VTEI vs. VTEL

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEI) and Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEL).

VTEI and VTEL are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VTEI is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the S&P Intermediate Term National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index. It was launched on Jan 29, 2024. VTEL is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the S&P 10+ Year National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index. It was launched on May 20, 2025. Both VTEI and VTEL are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

VTEI vs. VTEL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEI) and Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VTEI vs. VTEL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
VTEI Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF	-0.10%	5.31%
VTEL Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF	-0.00%	6.66%

Returns By Period

VTEI

• 1D: 0.28%
• 1M: -1.86%
• YTD: -0.10%
• 6M: 1.30%
• 1Y: 4.22%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

VTEL

• 1D: 0.47%
• 1M: -1.73%
• YTD: -0.00%
• 6M: 1.84%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

VTEI vs. VTEL - Expense Ratio Comparison

VTEI has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than VTEL's 0.09% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

VTEL

Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF

VTEI

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF

Return for Risk

VTEI vs. VTEL — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

VTEI

VTEI Risk / Return Rank: 60
VTEI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
VTEI Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
VTEI Omega Ratio Rank: 78
VTEI Calmar Ratio Rank: 50
VTEI Martin Ratio Rank: 46

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

VTEI vs. VTEL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEI) and Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEL). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	VTEI	VTEL	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.24	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.56	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.37	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.52	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VTEI	VTEL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.24	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.90	2.07	-1.17

Correlation

The correlation between VTEI and VTEL is 0.75, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

VTEI vs. VTEL - Dividend Comparison

VTEI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.05%, less than VTEL's 3.21% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024
VTEI Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF	3.05%	3.00%	2.65%
VTEL Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF	3.21%	2.23%	0.00%

Drawdowns

VTEI vs. VTEL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VTEI drawdown since its inception was -3.64%, which is greater than VTEL's maximum drawdown of -3.22%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTEI and VTEL.

Drawdown Indicators

	VTEI	VTEL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-3.64%	-3.22%	-0.42%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.33%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.05%	-2.03%	-0.02%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.73%	-0.49%	-0.24%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.01%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	VTEI	VTEL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.14%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.55%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.43%	3.80%	-0.37%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.09%	3.80%	-0.71%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.09%	3.80%	-0.71%